Orion Propulsion

Orion Propulsion is a small aerospace company in North Alabama that specializes in rocket propulsion design, fabrication and hot and cold testing of rocket systems. The company has extensive experience designing, fabricating, and operating propulsion systems and propulsion test facilities. In addition, the firm provides test stands, Ground Support Equipment (GSE), engineering and 3D modeling services, and launch operations support to a variety of customers. www.orionpropulsion.com 

Transcript

00:00:01 what features do you look for in a new car great handling and response safety reliability how about options at the fuel pump whatever you choose it has to fit your budget Tim Pickins president of Orion propulsion knows that choosing the right features for a new spacecraft is not so different with help from Phase 1 and Phase 2 small business Innovation

00:00:25 research for sbir awards from NASA Marshall space flight center his Alabama company is developing cuttingedge rocket propulsion products to help the space agency reach its future exploration goals one of the sbir awards is to develop an Innovative new rocket igniter traditional rocket igniters that rely on electric Sparks and exiters can pose

00:00:50 challenges with radiation during space flight and it's a nightmare dealing with this high voltage out in free space trying to uh to plan around it it cost cost a lot of money to do that and Harden all your electronics it is just a nightmare now imagine not having any Electronics all you've got is two valves you open those valves and this thing

00:01:14 lights that's the beauty of the acoustic igniter it replaces all this stuff Orion propulsions acoustic igniter doesn't rely on high voltage connections or spark plugs by using compression waves to heat the propellant the device can reach Auto ignition within milliseconds the streamlined acoustic igniter features no moving Parts which makes it easier to maintain and operate and could

00:01:39 reduce manufacturing costs the company is also using sbir funding from Marshall to further mature new rocket thrusters that will help stabilize and steer the next generation of spacecraft the oxygen methane reaction control system thrusters can use liquid or gas propellants or a mixture of both this flexible fuel capability will provide rocket scientists with more

00:02:05 opportunities to move away from some of the toxic and unstable propellants used in today's thrusters having a capability to use Greener fuels not only helps protect the environment it keeps astronauts from getting poisonous propellant residue on their space suits when they venture outside the craft the Thruster technology may even lead to a future where Space Explorers have the

00:02:29 capability to make make and use Rocket Fuel from materials found on other worlds Orion propulsion is making good use of knowledge gained from the sbir project as they work with Boeing to design and build reaction control system thrusters fasa's Next Generation spacecraft Aries one it's important for Pickin to get his company's products developed quickly so government and

00:02:55 Commercial customers will be able to take advantage of the new propulsion technology I think we need to grow the company and and as fast as we can and S sprs augment that force and um they augment it probably more than anything is not through the money but through the technology and the accessibility of the right people to help us reduce risk and that's what it's all about is risk

00:03:19 reduction in products so the next time rocket designers sit down to figure out what features they need in their next spacecraft propulsion system they'll have more options do in part to the sbir program and Orion propotion